Shattered Expectations
by Kenshin Akagi
Summary: Harry accepts Draco's offer of friendship on the Hogwarts express. Gaining another friend in Neville Longbottom and Draco's burly bodyguards, Crabbe and Goyle, Harry sets out to break any expectation that Hogwarts may have for him; starting with Slytherin. Slytherin!Harry, Slytherin!Neville.


"You should know that _some _Wizarding Families are better than others; I can help you from dealing with the wrong sort." Draco offered, holding out his hand, obviously expecting Harry to take it immediately. Crabbe and Goyle stood on either side of Draco, both seeming like bodyguards as they stood quietly in the hall of the train.

Harry felt, for a brief second, to tell the pompous blond that he could figure out the wrong sort for himself, thank you very much. But he looked at Draco's face and the offered hand, seeing how Draco's robes were of obviously high quality material, and his two bodyguards, who looked just as large as his cousin Dudley. Harry's eyes briefly darted at the only other occupant of the train compartment, the freckled ginger boy named Ron, who was obviously poor.

Now, in any other situation, wealth would not have been any form of factor for the young Potter. In fact, he himself had realized only recently that he was actually quite well-off in the Wizarding World. But, as he had learned from years going to Muggle School, avoiding his cousin and his friends as they engaged in 'Harry Hunting', or hiding from the other schoolyard bullies, it was that poor people were easily picked on.

Harry had finally escaped from his horrid life being a victim of his family and classmates alike. He had found that he was actually quite popular in the Wizarding World, having been responsible for the defeat of the Dark Lord Voldemort when he was but a infant. He had hoped that the Wizarding World was a place where he could finally fit in, but it seems that Draco and his friends were just like his cousin, bullies.

But they were offering Harry a chance to _join them._

For the first time in his life, people actually wanted Harry to be a part of their group, never mind the fact it was a group of bullies. Harry looked nervously at Ron briefly, before grabbing Draco's hand and shaking it firmly. "Of course." Harry replied, giving a slightly shaky smile. "I was just leaving, after all." Harry tried not to look at the look of betrayal on Ron's face, instead staring at the smirk on Draco's. Harry pushed any feelings of pity down quickly; he knew he had made the right choice. He had lived through eleven years of hell with Dursleys; surely, he deserved _something_.

Draco smirked haughtly after shaking Harry's hand, and motioned his head at Ron's pet rat, Scabbers. "No wonder Potter didn't want to be your friend, Weasley. Bringing a _rat,_ of all the things, to Hogwarts? You should've brought a toad; at least than you can use it in potions, and it wouldn't make your family part with their single Knut." Draco looked at Ron, amused as Ron started turning a shade of red that went quite well with his hair. Crabbe and Goyle guffawed, only stopping when Draco held up a hand to stop them.

Harry didn't say anything.

* * *

Harry and his new blond companion settled into an empty compartment after Crabbe scared the lone first year, a girl with bushy brown hair, out of the compartment. Harry thought she might have attempted to lecture Crabbe, and sighed internally as she decided to leave without the situation escalating. Draco leaned against the soft cushion, while Crabbe and Goyle loaded the four boys trunks into the compartment. The Malfoy heir nodded approvingly at Harry as Crabbe and Goyle sat down.

"It's a good thing you agreed with me, Potter. Of course, I knew someone of your reputation would join with the upper echelon of Wizarding Society. You'll find that the old Pureblood families will help you far more than the Half-Bloods, or, Merlin forbid, Mudbloods." Draco said with a drawl, giving a disgusted snort at the word Mudblood, as if merely speaking the word disgusted him. Crabbe and Goyle nodded in agreement at their apparent leader's words.

Harry looked confusingly at the unfamiliar term. "Mudblood?" He repeated, confused at its possible meaning. Draco sniffed in impatience.

"Merlin, you really were raised by muggles. Mudblood means dirty blood; someone born of two non-magical parents. Their magic is far weaker than us Purebloods." Draco explained, smirking at the end. Harry shifted awkwardly, feeling a small spike of anger at his mother being referred to as a Mudblood. He was going to say something in retort, but happened to see Crabbe and Goyle out of the corner of his eye, reminding him that the two boys would certainly take him in any physical fight, and if what Draco said was true, magical fights as well.

Harry decided to hold his tongue of mentioning his mother, but nodded in agreement. "I see." Though he really hadn't.

Their conversation failed to continue when the compartment door open, revealing a chubby boy standing. He looked nervous when he saw Crabbe and Goyle, but seemed to muster enough courage to mumble, "Has anyone seen a Toad?"

Draco laughed in response, causing the rotund boy to look at the ground. "Honestly, a toad? Why would someone ever bring a toad?" He questioned, obviously delighting in the boys nervousness. Crabbe and Goyle laughed alongside Draco, the chubby boy attempting to slowly step away from the compartment.

"Didn't you say Toads could be useful in Potions, Draco?" Harry asked, causing the three boys to stop laughing. Harry looked at the nervous boy. "Sorry, but we haven't seen a toad; I'm sure it'll show up eventually, so why don't you just stay with us? We have room." He offered, and the boy looked thoughtful. He briefly glanced at Draco, but Draco seemed not to care, still trying to find whether he should be offended or not that Harry had practically stabbed him in the back. Seeing no cues from their apparent leader to refuse the boys access, they let the nervous boy come into the apartment and sit on their seat.

Harry stuck out his hand, and smiled. "I'm Harry Potter; you are?" He asked, looking as the boy's eyes darted to his scar before his hand clamped around his.

"I'm Neville Longbottom...It's great to meet you." At the sound of the name Longbottom, Draco looked at Neville incredulously.

"Longbottom? I've heard of that family. You're a Pureblood, than?" Draco questioned, the look in his eyes silently promising further ridicule if Neville denied it. Neville hurriedly began nodding, and Draco nodded slightly, glad that Harry had only allowed a Pureblood to enter. Of course, a Pureblood who looked as out of place as a Muggle, but a Pureblood nonetheless.

Maybe there was hope for Potter yet.


End file.
